When I say "I have to go" in Latin, since I'm a female should I say "opa est mihi discedenda" or "opus est mihi discedenda." Is "discedenda" even right? I really need to brush up on my gerunds and gerundives!

Also, when I say "I am worried/annoyed" should I use "vexo" or "vexar" because "I am worried" is the same as "I worry."

I'd love to be clarified on the former myself, Aurelia. I'm not quite sure. I guess males have the advantage of speaking without as many complications of grammar to worry about.

And as for worrying, I think vexar makes the most sense, for both English translations. Vexo would imply that you are annoying someone, that you are disturbing someone. Vexar, of course, is you being bothered or disturbed or worried by someone or something else.

When I say "I have to go" in Latin, since I'm a female should I say "opa est mihi discedenda" or "opus est mihi discedenda." Is "discedenda" even right? I really need to brush up on my gerunds and gerundives!

I'm not familiar with that "opus est" construction. I would think that would more commonly be used in statements of need (we need books, etc.). However, opus is a noun and will never be opa. Nouns don't change gender like that. 'discedenda' would need to agree with opus, which is neuter. So 'discedendum'.

I don't see why you would say opus est mihi discedendum. This literally translates to something like ''the need must be departed by me'', if discedo is even transitive. I would think the phrase would be better said opus est mihi discedendo (discedendi) ''there is need to me of leaving'' or even opus est mihi discedere ''there is need for me to leave''. I agree with Titus on the matter of gender, though there may have been some confusion as to what the gerundive was modifying so I can't blame you there. That is my two cents on the phrase anyway.

Last edited by benissimus on Wed Aug 04, 2004 6:26 am, edited 2 times in total.

Let's also not overlook the use of "debeo" with the infinitive to express necessity or obligation. The idiom "opus est" is use with a dative and infinitive, accusative and infinitive, or (rare) the genitve of the thing needed but usually only when that thing is a neuter singular noun. There are a few ways to express the necessity of an action in Latin, and some of them are the impersonal construction like "opus est".

Aurelia wrote:Okay, I think I will use "debeo discedere." I haven't studied impersonal verbs in a while, maybe I should get my notes out.

One other thing to consider, according to Bradley's Arnold anyway, is that the debeo construction is to be used when the obligation is to others, while oportet implies the obligation is binding on one's own self.